Benicia teacher accused of secretly serving pot at potluck

BENICIA - A Benicia elementary school teacher was arrested Friday afternoon on suspicion of poisoning several people with marijuana-laced food, police said.

Teresa Gilmete Badger, 47, of Benicia, was arrested around 1:50 p.m. by the Benicia Police Department's Investigations Unit, which served the arrest warrant at her home in the 500 block of Clyne Court.

Badger is a first-grade teacher at Matthew Turner Elementary School.

She attended an "after-hours employee potluck dinner" on Nov. 2 and took food to the party that allegedly caused several guests to report feeling sick, Lt. Frank Hartig said, adding victims that evening described symptoms of possibly being under the influence.

A "female victim" was admitted to a local hospital for treatment for the symptoms. Another female victim also went to a hospital the next day and her blood work revealed the presence of THC, the "principal psychoactive constituent of the cannabis plant," Hartig said.

A juvenile also ate the food, which was taken home by a partygoer, and experienced similar symptoms, he added. The Benicia Unified School District notified police on Dec. 4 about the incident.

Investigators determined that Badger took "cannabis-laced food to the party," and police were told she had "allegedly confessed her involvement to individuals" at the party, Hartig said.

Solano Superior Court Judge Dan Healey signed a warrant for Badger's arrest. She was booked into Solano County jail, and her bail was set at $15,000. She was still in custody Friday night.

Hartig said Badger chose not to speak to arresting officers about the incident.

Superintendent Janice Adams said Badger has been a teacher at the district for 18 years. She was placed on administrative leave early in the week because of the investigation.

The district has arranged for a substitute teacher for Badger's class, Adams added.